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Local News

Rent Scams on the Rise 

The Federal Trade Commission has issued a notice to raise awareness of a scheme that is targeting renters. The Michigan Office of the Attorney General is asking those who are having trouble paying their rent not to fall prey to identity thieves.

The tactics of the scammers include gathering a lot of personal and financial information and asking for an up-front fee while they resolve your rent problems. The Attorney General recommends that renters who are having a hard time paying rent first take up the problem with their landlord.

There are some local programs, such as through Blue Water Community Action or the Society of St. Vincent DePaul, that can help with emergencies and keep people from being evicted.

Kelly Rose, Michigan State Housing Development Authority chief housing solutions officer said, “Once the Legislature appropriates the emergency rental assistance funds, we are ready and will move swiftly to assist renters and landlords in need. Renters should avoid further financial risk by falling for scams. A legitimate program that can help is on the way.” 

Avoid scammers offering to pay your rent | FTC Consumer Information

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Tax Returns Accepted Starting Feb. 12: Watch for Fraud

Tax season is just about here. Both federal and state returns can start being processed on February 12th. The processing date is later than usual.  The April 15th filing deadline remains the same.

State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks said, “We coordinate with the IRS to process tax returns and issue refunds. This year, the IRS has pushed back the processing date due to software updating and testing. This means our processing date will also be pushed back. The state of Michigan will be ready to process your returns and issue refunds when the season opens early in the month.”  

Eubanks warned against rushing to file without all the necessary documentation. Sending in an incomplete return will put any refund on hold until the correct paperwork is turned in.

For those who may have received unemployment benefits in 2020, they should have received a 1099-G in the mail. If a 1099-G was received, and the recipient did not actually receive unemployment, they may, unfortunately, be the victim of identity theft. Instructions for reporting the theft are on the envelope in which the 1099 came and should be followed closely.

Visit the UIA’s website for questions about reporting a fraudulent claim or filing your 2020 taxes.  

To report fraud or file a general consumer complaint, contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection team. Filing a complaint online is the best way to make Your Connection to Consumer Protection and provide a comprehensive report to the Attorney General’s office to ensure investigators have the information they need. If a consumer is unable to fill out an online complaint, they can call the toll-free Consumer Protection hotline at 877-765-8388 and staff will provide a hard copy form to fill out and return.  

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

Beeler Wants Answers from Governor

LANSING – State Representative Andrew Beeler (R-Port Huron) today voiced his frustration with the lack of specifics given by Governor Whitmer’s administration regarding how the decision to close schools and athletics were made in the past – and how those decisions will be made going forward – in the face of mounting data which suggests the dangers to school-aged children are significantly lower than originally feared.

“The governor has repeated over and over that her administration is making decisions based on science,” Beeler said, “Michigan citizens deserve to know what criteria she is using to determine when these seemingly never-ending shutdowns are going to end.”

The Michigan House and Senate today held a joint meeting of their respective committees on Education where Beeler appeared annoyed by the lack of concrete metrics the administration would use to justify future shutdowns.

“Based on today’s hearing, I am convinced that the governor’s unilateral actions are based on criteria beyond merely ‘science and data’,” Beeler said.

According to the governor’s own statistics, less than two dozen people aged 24 and younger have died from COVID-19 or other causes related to COVID-19 since the beginning of 2020.  Meanwhile, many mental health experts have warned the negative long-term effects associated with the governor’s shutdowns will be felt for many years to come.

Official statistics can be found here: Covid-19 By Age at Death (state.mi.us).

Submitted by the office of Rep. Andrew Beeler

Vaccine Pre-Registration System FAQs

According to a statement from Dr. Annette Mercatante, Medical Health Officer for the St. Clair County Health Department, almost 10,000 people have signed up on the county’s new vaccine pre-registration system. The Health Department wants the community to know that it is working on some technical issues, and they have already had their first vaccine clinic under the new system.

Here are the FAQs for the Vaccine Pre-registration System:

  1. What is the phone number, text code or email address that will accompany the notification? St. Clair County Vaccine Distribution. The caller ID may identify as a Massachusetts phone number. Looking into updating with a local number
    Phone: (781) 373-9800; Text ID: 88911; Email from: St. Clair County Vaccine Distribution. The caller ID may identify as a Massachusetts phone number. Looking into updating with a local number.
  1. How do I know I signed up properly in the system? You will not receive a message stating you are pre-registered. Create a user name and password to sign up. Complete the fields, save all pages and hit finalize at the end. Working on updating this.
  1. Can I go back in and edit my account information? It appears the system tracks the date of your last entry and may move you from your original placement if you make changes. Be as accurate as possible when signing up. Working on updating this.
  1. What if I registered multiple people using the same contact information (phone number, email)? Each person registered should receive a separate confirmation. The appointment confirmation will list first name, last name, appointment date/time and clinic location. It will arrive via the method(s) you selected to receive notifications. Whatever method you confirm first on accepts the invitation. Option 1= yes to confirm; Option 2 = Not available at this time; Option 3 = No longer need my appointment.
  1. What if I missed my window to confirm my appointment? Each person has one hour to respond. If you missed your window, you will be contacted as soon as the next appointment becomes available. You do not lose your placement and will be notified again. Please do not show up at a clinic if you did not receive a confirmation.
  1. When will you send out notifications? Notifications should typically occur during regular business hours.
  1. Who can sign up/pre-register? All individuals living or working in St. Clair County can pre-register for the COVID-19 vaccine on the health department’s website www.scchealth.co click on the “Pre-Registration for COVID-19 Vaccine” link. Again, this is a pre-registration system only, or a placeholder.

Only individuals in the current priority groups will receive a notification when an appointment become available. This is all dependent on vaccine supply, which currently remains limited. Therefore, it will take time to move through the list. Thank you for your patience.

For seniors 65 and older needing assistance with the online pre-registration process options include:

  • Asking a family member, friend or neighbor for help
  • Council on Aging/Call 1-800-297-0099 or your local senior center
  • Dial 211 for assistance
  • Please DO NOT contact COA or 211 for technical assistance or for updates.

 

Port Huron Schools Switching to Full-Time In-Person Instruction March 1st

Port Huron, MI — Students in the Port Huron school district will be going back to class full time starting March 1st after having a mix of all-virtual and hybrid learning since last March.

In a message to parents in his weekly newsletter, Superintendent Jamie Cain said that the change in plans is due to a vote by the Port Huron Schools Board of Education last Friday. The February hybrid schedule remains in effect with the full time, five-days-per-week schedule beginning March 1st.

Students whose parents elected the full-time all-virtual learning model will stay enrolled in that program for the rest of the school year. Students whose parents had elected the hybrid model will be going back to school full time. Questions are directed to building principals.

The hybrid plan was implemented to reduce numbers of students in classrooms. In the message, Superintendent Cain stressed the continuation of mask-wearing, social distancing, frequent hand-washing, and facility sanitizing.

School districts have been urged by Governor Gretchen Whitmer to find ways to get back to in-person learning by March 1st. Transmission of COVID-19 at school has not been as big of a concern as was previously thought it could be.

Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland

New Permanent Exhibit at Port Huron Museum Celebrates Black History in the Blue Water Area

The Port Huron Museum Carnegie Center has been getting some interior renovations, and a new permanent exhibit celebrating Black History in the Blue Water Area will have it’s soft opening this weekend.

The From Whence We Came: Black History in the Blue Water Area exhibit will be housed on the main floor of the Carnegie Center and feature many artifacts donated or loaned to the museum. The centerpiece of the exhibit will be the James Sr & Marguerite Stanley Legacy Wall which honors those who have made lasting contributions to the Port Huron community.

James Sr. and Marguerite Stanley devoted their lives to the Port Huron area and are known for their deep love for the city. The Legacy Wall named in their honor recognizes living heroes of the community who have made contributions in the areas of education, civil/public service, business, athletics, science/healthcare, entertainment, literature, and media.

The inaugural inductees for the Stanley Legacy Wall are: Marguerite Stanley, Ila Shoulders, KC Norman, Marcia Hogan, Rev. Alex Crittenden, Yvonne Malachi, James E. Jones, and an Honorable Mention- Gretchen Ploeger.

The soft opening of the new exhibit will take place on February 13th and be open during normal Carnegie Center Hours: Wednesday – Sunday 10 AM – 4 PM.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand